In a blow to Los Angeles moviegoers, Pacific Theaters announced on Monday that it was closing all Pacific and ArcLight movie theater locations for good after business was hit by the pandemic last year.
Decurion Corporation, which owns six Pacific locations in LA and 11 ArcLight locations across the country, announced the closure in a statement. Deadline reported the news first.
After closing our doors more than a year ago, today we have to share the difficult and sad news that Pacific will not reopen its ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theaters locations.
This wasn’t the result anyone wanted, but despite a tremendous amount of work and exhaustion of all potential options, the company has no viable path forward.
All of the Pacific and ArcLight employees who have spent their careers on it To make our theaters the best places in the world to see films: we are grateful for your service and dedication to our customers.
To our guests and members of the film industry who have become one over the years have had a magical experience going to the cinema: Our deepest thanks. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve you.
Deadline reported that Decurion abandoned its leases in the process of negotiating with landlords and that the announcement « does not mean the chain is bankrupt ». It has been reported that there is no word on whether the chain is for sale.
ArcLight’s locations span both coasts and include Chicago. The racetrack’s crown jewel, however, is the ArcLight Hollywood and the attached historic Cinerama Dome on Hollywood Boulevard.
The chain’s Hollywood location was an important part of the successful launch of independent films. For example, « Moonlight » opened in four theaters, including ArcLight Hollywood, long before it was named Best Picture. At the height of its popularity, it was shown in 1,564 theaters.
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Pacific also owns the Vineland Drive-In in LA, which grew in popularity last year due to the closure of hardtop theaters.
Pacific Theaters President and COO Ted Mundorff spoke on the Film Independent Forum last year on why he believed cinema attendance will rebound once the pandemic recedes and the struggles that independent films are facing between studios and major racetracks.
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Ref: https://www.indiewire.com